The present embodiments relate generally printing, including three-dimensional printing systems and methods.
Printing systems can be used to print 2D structures or layers of ink as well as 3D structures formed from various kinds of 3D printing materials. Three-dimensional printing systems and methods may be associated with various technologies including fused deposition modeling (FDM), electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF), selective laser sintering (SLS) as well as other kinds of three-dimensional printing technologies.
Structures formed from three-dimensional printing systems can be used with objects formed by other manufacturing techniques. These include textile materials used in various articles of footwear and/or articles of apparel.
When printing in 2D and/or 3D, the resulting outer surface of a printed element (i.e., the surface of an ink layer or a surface of a 3D printed structure) may have various kinds of finishes. One possible kind of finish is a gloss level, which can range from, for example, matte to high gloss.